


In Good Faith

by conceptofzero



Category: Homestuck
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-11
Updated: 2014-01-11
Packaged: 2018-01-08 08:24:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1130436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/conceptofzero/pseuds/conceptofzero
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two days after PM’s second coronation, Spades Slick shoots and kills a police officer. The really remarkable thing is that he waited until after she was crowned rather than before.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In Good Faith

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bramblePatch](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bramblePatch/gifts).



Two days after PM’s second coronation, Spades Slick shoots and kills a police officer. The really remarkable thing is that he waited until after she was crowned rather than before. He's arrested without much more bloodshed and the arresting officer makes it clear to PM that the only reason they don’t have a bigger body count is because Slick’s girlfriend/partner in crime stepped in and got him to agree to go along with the officers. 

The papers are both having a field day with overly large and excited headlines about the murder. Her staff tells her that PM’s already received a dozen calls demanding Slick be executed, and that it’s a crime he wasn’t done away with when Jack Noir was, and of course she now has the power to correct this oversight. A few other messages, some made up of cut-and-paste letters, make it clear that if Slick’s killed, then somebody will be setting this town on fire. 

WV reads them all with her, and he makes the only useful suggestion she’s heard all day. “Maybe you should meet with the girlfriend? If she’s able to calm Slick down, perhaps she’ll be more reasonable to discuss this with than him?” it’s a good idea, but then again, WV’s ideas usually are when they don’t revolve around food. 

They meet the next day in PM’s office. She’s a lot smaller than PM expected, though perhaps that’s why Slick likes her so much. The woman (Ms Paint, as she introduces herself shortly after she arrives) is very unlike Slick, being as she’s both polite and well-dressed. PM has her assistant bring them both tea and plenty of cream and sugar, then gets down to the business at hand. 

“Ms Paint, thank you for coming to visit today.” She’s poured herself a cup, but PM doesn’t take a sip, not while she’s working anyway. One thing she appreciates is that Ms Paint is a Prospitian like herself, and so what PM’s about to do won’t be seen as rude to her. “Why did Spades Slick kill that officer?” 

“She made an inappropriate remark about the size of my ass. It was rather hypocritical of Slick since he had just been commenting on it as well.” Ms Paint glances down at her derriere and PM has to fight from doing the same. She’s a curvy woman but that’s no reason to stare. Instead, she focus on other things, like how her tone is pleasant but matter of fact. PM greatly appreciates that Ms Paint is willing to speak to PM the way she’s being spoken to. “They exchanged a few heated words and when she called him ‘coalie’, he shot her.” 

“Hmm.” The initial police report had not included the exchanged slur, but WV had talked with other witnesses who had mentioned they had heard something similar before Slick started shooting. This made things more complicated, but they still didn’t excuse what had happened. “I understand reacting unfavorably to racism, but shooting someone for using a slur isn’t legal.” 

“Of course. But you can see that his reactions weren’t simply random. There was a reason he lashed out. And there’s also a reason he came with your police officers peacefully.” Ms Paint crosses her legs. She sits up straight and doesn’t slouch, but she’s almost impossibly calm considering the circumstances. PM thinks she can see why Ms Paint may be the only person who can make Spades Slick listen to her. “Of course he’ll be punished in some form. I would personally suggest community service. Putting him in prison is a poor choice for everyone. He gets murderous when he gets bored.” 

“So I’ve noticed.” PM’s response is as dry as the desert. She’s seen exactly what Jacks are capable of when they have nothing but time on their hands. PM would be fine with simply executing Spades Slick and not worrying about him again, but the laws apply to her as much as they do to her subjects. “Letting him free and expecting him to do five-hundred hours of cleaning up the side of the road isn’t exactly fair punishment for murdering a police officer.” 

“Make it 1,000 hours of community service while he’s under house arrest. You’ll be rehabilitating him.” Ms Paint sips her tea. “Mmm. And if you execute him, we both know things will end badly. Someone might set this town on fire.”

PM pauses, eyeing up Ms Paint in her neat little outfit, with a handkerchief wrapped around her head. She smiles pleasantly at PM and has another sip of tea. Spades Slick may be in jail, but PM now suspects the real danger is here in front of her, wrapped up in pinks and a wholesome smile. 

“We don’t want that.” PM agrees, picking up her own cup and having a sip. “So, house arrest. Can you handle that?” 

“Oh, I can handle anything when I put my mind to it. Has anyone ever mentioned my ex to you? No? Well, let me tell you-” Ms Paint starts talking and PM listens, finding this all much more educational than expected. 

She supposes community service will work well enough, especially since she plans on having him do more than just clean up roadsides. Perhaps a stint ‘volunteering’ at the waste management plan will make some feel that justice is being served. Or, if not justice, then something Slick deserves even more than that.


End file.
